1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to beverage dispensing and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to methods and an apparatus for redirecting diluent flow paths in a beverage dispenser such that a product valve may deliver either a carbonated beverage or a non-carbonated beverage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Historically, the beverage dispensing industry revolved around the reconstitution of syrup concentrates with carbonated water. Consumers often were offered a multitude of soda flavors with a single non-carbonated option in a beverage dispenser. With changing philosophies in the areas of health and nutrition, product dispensing suppliers have been forced to offer a wider variety of products through basically the same interface, a beverage dispenser. Presently, it is common to see beverage dispensers delivering multiple non-carbonated beverages, such as lemonades, teas, sports drinks, and the like.
This changing trend has caused some challenges, as the life expectancy of a beverage dispenser is approximately seven to ten years. Many times older dispensers are not outfitted with product and diluent lines for every possible product valve combination. While newer beverage dispenser designs do take into consideration the possibility of switching between diluents, switching across two media paths provides the possibility of a leak across the switching mechanism, and a compromised mixture upon dispensing.
Similar considerations arise when switching from a chilled product to an ambient product, or the opposite. When utilizing a cold plate to chill product lines in a beverage dispenser, manufacturers are forced to commit fluid media flow paths to being either chilled or unchilled. Most product lines are cast into a cold plate such that they chill the medium flowing through the product lines when the cold plate is chilled. The delivery of an ambient product does not require the fluid medium path to pass through the cold plate. If a beverage dispenser does not have provisions for ambient delivery of product, the fluid path must be altered to circumvent passing through the cold plate.
Accordingly, an apparatus that allows customers to reconfigure the product valves of a beverage dispenser to deliver either chilled or ambient products on location would be beneficial to beverage dispenser manufacturers, beverage dispenser owners, as well as the producers of the beverage drinks.